Choose the Future – Education for Sustainable Development – Conference Report

The 'Choose the Future: Education for Sustainable Development' conference, held in Winnipeg, Canada, from November 26–28, 2008, served as a forum for educators, business leaders, and government officials to discuss the integration of sustainable development (SD) into formal and non-formal education. Organized by the Manitoba Education for Sustainable Development Working Group (MESDWG), the event aligned with the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014) and showcased various initiatives, research, and leadership models aimed at fostering a culture of sustainability in Manitoba and across Canada.

• Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is defined as a process of learning to make decisions that consider the long-term future of economy, ecology, and equity, and it encompasses formal, non-formal, and informal education models.
• The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014) focuses on four primary thrusts: increasing public awareness and understanding, expanding access to quality basic education, reorienting existing educational systems, and providing training programs for all sectors.
• Corporate sustainability can be viewed as a business advantage where companies that integrate sustainability into their strategy can see potential profit increases of 66 per cent by reducing recruiting and attrition costs, increasing productivity, and improving corporate image.
• Research on the impacts of climate change in the Arctic indicates a rapid loss of multi-year sea ice, with approximately 70,000 km2 lost per year, leading to predictions of a seasonally ice-free Arctic by 2015.
• Indigenous perspectives on sustainability, specifically Anishinabe philosophies, emphasize 'thinking in clusters' and the importance of maintaining balance in the world, contrasting with Western linear views of time and progress.
• Manitoba has implemented a systemic approach to ESD through the Sustainable Development Act of 1998, which established the Manitoba Round Table for Sustainable Development and a Sustainable Development Innovation Fund (SDIF) that provides about CDN$3.6 million annually.
• The University of Winnipeg has adopted a holistic Sustainability Management System based on the ISO 14001 EMS model to integrate sustainability into all campus operations and curriculum.
• Effective climate change education for students requires a shift from a traditional transmission model of knowledge to a 'complexity model' that encourages students to be solution-oriented and adaptive to risk.
• Environmental contaminants, such as mercury, bioaccumulate in Arctic top predators like Beluga whales and ring seals, with levels increasing as a result of changing ice structures and forage ranges.
• The 'Action Research for Community Problem Solving' (AR:CPS) model used in Quebec since 1993 empowers students to solve real-life problems within their communities, which is reported to be more preferred by students than traditional teaching models.

APA

Gislason, R., Buckler, C., & Creech, H. (2008). Choose the Future – Education for Sustainable Development – Conference Report. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/choose_the_future.pdf

Chicago

Gislason, Robin, Carolee Buckler, and Heather Creech. Choose the Future – Education for Sustainable Development – Conference Report. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2008. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/choose_the_future.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gislason |first1=Robin |last2=Buckler |first2=Carolee |last3=Creech |first3=Heather |title=Choose the Future – Education for Sustainable Development – Conference Report |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2008 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/choose_the_future.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gislason2008choose, author = {Gislason, Robin and Buckler, Carolee and Creech, Heather}, title = {{Choose the Future – Education for Sustainable Development – Conference Report}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2008}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/choose_the_future.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }